Graduate Research Process: 1b. Develop Research Questions

Stay focused.  Try not to get side tracked.  

If you develop other questions or ideas during the course of your research, write them down and set them aside.  Review them later, asking yourself if they somehow enrich, illuminate, expand or explain your original research questions.  Would these new questions or ideas lead you down a completely different path? You might be developing great questions for a future paper, but the last thing you want is to confuse yourself or your reader.

Once you have selected an initial topic, the next step is to develop research questions. To begin:

• Write down what you already know or don't know about the topic.
• Using the information you wrote down, develop questions that you would like to answer when doing your research.
  • Use probing questions such as why? how? who? what if?
  • Avoid questions that can be answered with yes or no. 

What do or don't I know about the Endangered Species Act (ESA)?

I know the ESA is a law that protects animals and their habitats and that are in danger of extinction. I believe the law only protects habitats that are within the US boundaries. I know that at one point bald eagles and grizzly bears were on the list, but I thought they had been removed. I know there has been some controversy about adding polar bears to the list. I don't what it takes for an animal to be removed from the list and I don't know what the penalties are for violating this Act.

Research Questions

• What was the Endangered Species Act (ESA) designed to protect -- animals only or ecosystems as well?
• What animals/habitats outside of the United States boundaries are covered by the Act?
• What other countries have legislation to protect animals/habitats?
• What animals are currently on the endangered species list?
• How does an animal get added to or removed from the list?
• How is the Act enforced?
• What penalties are imposed on those who violate the Act?